Obama Inauguration on The Huffington Post

Thomas Croft: One Year After

2009-11-04T13:15:20Z

1935 opened as a year of acute political turbulence. Squalls were making up in every quarter, while the skipper stalled and vacillated, now beating to windward, now turning and running before the blow.

By his third year in office, FDR was in serious trouble, according to The Politics of Upheaval, Arthur Schlesinger Jr.'s third entry in his opus, The Age of Roosevelt. Obama's first 280+ days have not been the gangbuster that characterized FDR's first 100 days and first 10 months, though he should be credited with some important victories for the country. And the media will play the elections this week as a blow to the Presidency. But huge victories were still to come for FDR after the turbulence of 1935 (a little thing called Social Security, etc.).

Yes, the Obama victory was just last November, but my head is hard-wired to January 20, when I was standing with my girlfriend, Patricia, on the mall in Washington, D.C. We held each other, as it was freezing, and the body heat of 2 million people warmed us. Barack Obama was taking the oath of office.

Like so many others, we had rushed to get there and were overwhelmed by the bigness of it all. We had risen at dawn, taken a bus across the Potomac, and then walked and walked. Everyone was giddy, bundled and laden with trail snacks, maps, feet warmers, extra socks, newspaper warnings, determined to survive the day (like an episode of Survivorman: DC!). As we neared the mall, rivers of people were streaming in from other streets. We waded into the merging sea, and then we could see, between the trees, the huge field rising to the Washington Monument.

We couldn't see the actual speakers at the Capitol, but could hear their words and Aretha's music. The big crowd was jubilant, singing the Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye song as Bush's helicopter took off. A middle aged Black woman and young white couple to our side hugged Patricia when the oath of office was delivered and Obama was finally, finally, the new president and W was finally, finally gone for good.

So, what I remember is the bigness of it all, the bigness of people's hearts, and it was packaged as a big change. The Obama campaign was a big operation, driving big dollars and, ultimately, a big win. It was a big day.

But we believed that the big change was meant to help little people, the common woman and man, in other words, all of the rest of us. Has that change happened? Some has, some hasn't. The President has time, but he has to move the yardstick, especially around the jobs issue. So, what now? Here are some ideas.

Fight for the little people: You've helped the bank barons. Now help everyday Americans -- fight to save their homes, help them through hard times, make their lives and that of their families easier. Pass real health care reform, make college education cheaper, expand Jobs Corp and youth volunteer programs.

Get pissed at the big people: You sounded angry during the campaign. Now clear the streets of the Wall Street con-men. Pass real financial markets reform and figure out a way to get some of the people's money back (talk to Michael Moore). Tell Wall Street to stop raiding our nest eggs.

Work on Main Street problems: Push the banks to lend to small-medium businesses. And using tiny amounts of federal job training funds, some states (like mine, in Pennsylvania) have constructed tried and true early warning programs that have prevented business failures, saving tens of thousands of mainly manufacturing jobs. It works and it's cost-effective. The auto task force worked swiftly for the Big Three. Do the same for little companies. If we lose the manufacturing supply chain, we'll never have that green jobs boom.

Partner with the stewards of our money: Our institutional trusts own $24 trillion. If you structured new partnerships that provided guarantees for a small portion of our pensions, insurance funds, endowments and other trusts, you could invest incredible sums to push for real economic recovery and rebuild our rust-towns and cities. Capital stewards could do the right thing (instead of investing in Wall Street's hedge funds and sub-primes), and build affordable housing, advanced manufacturing, windmill and solar companies, and green buildings--and still achieve solid financial returns.

In 1935, Governor George H. Earle of Pennsylvania had a warning for the working class and the disgruntled tea-baggers of back in the day, said Schlesinger. The greater danger, he said, was in allowing the men of wealth -- of Wall Street -- to send us all on a wild-goose chase after so-called radicals while they continue to plunder the people.

We've had a sick, twisted summer of wild goose chases, and the election results from yesterday will surely produce some more. We will not pass the change that's needed for little people unless the big coalitions get back to work. And, Mr. President, we're tired of being plundered. Keep your eyes on the prize.

Tom Croft, an international expert on innovative capital strategies and director of Pennsylvania's Steel Valley Authority, is the author of Up From Wall Street: The Responsible Pension Alternative (Cosimo Books, 2009).

Jim Wallis: What!? Racism Still in America?

2009-09-17T12:32:27Z

Here we go again. Some people raise the issue of race (this time about the ways some other people are talking about or treating the first black president of the United States) and the media goes crazy. "What racism?" many of the pundits cry, "Didn't we just elect this black guy president?" (Implying: "Doesn't that prove that racism is over in America?").

So let's all just take a breath here -- as we always need to do when talking about race in America.

A few simple points:

First, on November 4, 2008, the United States did what only one other country that I know of ever has ever done -- elect a president from a minority race in a country with a different majority race. (Peru is the only other country I can think of to have done that, electing as their president Alberto Fujimori, of Asian ethnicity, in a predominantly Spanish country.) That a still predominantly white U.S. would elect a black man as head of state was stunning to many -- and, I must admit, to me. Frankly, it made me think that the country was better than I thought it was. That historic accomplishment is a sign of great progress and a hope of better things to come for racial equality and justice in the United States.

Second, the majority of Americans, and even of white Americans -- whether they voted for Obama or not -- seemed to feel proud and positive that the nation had finally reached this amazing milestone. Inaugurating Barack Obama on that January 20th Inauguration Day made most Americans feel good about themselves and about their country. The new president's approval rating climbed up to 70 percent in the week after the Inauguration, which obviously meant that even some of those who voted against him were impressed by how he was handling his job at the outset.

Third, there are many people, most of whom voted against Obama, who have basic disagreements with the president on substantive political issues. And to disagree with a black president on policy questions does not mean that you are racist. The people who initially approved of the president's job performance, but now disapprove, did not suddenly turn into racists. And my conservative friends who admire Obama personally but disagree with him politically can hardly be called racists.

But fourth -- and importantly -- there was, and is still, a hard core of racially-motivated white people in this nation who did vote against Obama because he is black, and who virulently oppose him as president because he is black. And that racist core of angry white Americans resides on the extreme political right of U.S. politics. The far-right wing in America has never supported racial equality. Their political representatives voted against both the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965, and most have never repented of it. And, let's be honest, the loudest voices of right-wing talk radio and cable television appeal directly to that core with subtle and not-so-subtle racial messages, as has the right-wing of the Republican Party for many years.

If you were paying attention, you could see signs of that underlying racism at the most heated town meetings this summer. Of course, not everybody who attended, or even was mad about health care or the government at those meetings, is a racist -- most of those people weren't; but some of them clearly are. There were blatant signs of racism at some of the town meetings and, indeed, many signs that carried overtly racial messages.

I see those racial sub-texts in the intensity of the attacks on Obama -- not in the disagreements per se, but in the viciousness of the rhetoric. Racism is often about disrespect, and many African-American citizens are now feeling that the black president in the White House is being disrespected. I also see it in the supporters of the new "birthers" movement, who stir up doubts about Obama's citizenship. I see it in the furor over the president of the United States speaking to the nation's school children about studying and working hard. And, agree with me or not, I saw it in the disrespect shown toward a black president by a white Congressman from the South, whose less than enthusiastic apologies have now turned him into a fund-raising martyr, cheered on by a defiant rebel yell against the man (or is it "boy"?) in the White House.

We have all witnessed or experienced situations where someone has "played the race card" in inappropriate or unfair ways. And racism is not the cause or explanation of every social problem. Nor are legitimately different points of view obvious signs of racism. And President Barack Obama has not played the race card, expecting only to be treated as a man -- not a "black man"-- and to be judged as a president and not as an "African-American president."

But let's be honest. We all know that racism still exists in America today. We know that there is a hard core of our white fellow citizens who simply will not accept their black or brown brothers and sisters -- especially one in the White House. So while we should not call every disagreement an issue of racism, it is time call out the racism that indeed does still exist -- that wounds our soul as a nation, and that obstructs the promise of the United States.

Jim Wallis is the author of The Great Awakening, Editor-in-Chief of Sojourners and blogs at www.godspolitics.com.

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Nicole Williams: 9 Tricks for a Stress-Free Vacation (and Return)

2009-08-24T18:07:55Z

August, sweet August. Ripe tomatoes. Days by the pool or, better yet, the beach. Not a care in the world. Until, that is, you return from vacation and face a deluge of emails, meetings, and phone calls. It's enough to make you want to return to the beach pronto, even if your bank account is screaming "Impossible!" But there are ways to ease back into the nine-to-five-drill without losing your hard-earned relaxation the second you enter the door.

The trick to a stress-free return to the workplace is three-fold, and includes strategies for before, during, and after your trip.

1. Choose your return date with care.
Many experienced travelers like to get home on a Friday or Saturday, allowing them selves the weekend to reacclimatize. If you give yourself a few days to get your personal life in order, then whatever awaits you at the office might not seem so overwhelming. Similarly, consider returning toward the end of the week and slipping into work for a day or two to get your feet wet. Enjoy a weekend at home and then really plunge in on Monday.

2. Set up voice and email notifications.
Let people know that you're away and will not be checking email or voicemail until a specific date. In your absence, provide someone else they can contact. You might give your return date as a day later than it really is in order to buy yourself a day to get organized upon returning.

3. Tidy up.
Clean your desk before you leave town. We all know that it's so much nicer to return to a clean house, so why not a clean desk, too?

4. Be in the moment.
While you're on vacation, try to put work out of your mind. The more quickly you're able to sink into vacation mode -- something that takes many people a few days to do -- the more you'll gain from your time away. If you're traveling with family or friends, they'll appreciate not hearing about work, too!

5.Get in--or out--of touch.
Decide in advance whether you'll have any contact with the office while you're away. If you tell people that you're cutting all ties for a week, then there will be no expectations of you. On the other hand, if you say you'll call in, be sure to follow through.

6. Decide whether or not you'll check email.
It's pretty hard to find a place where you can avoid email at this point in time. Unless you're going backpacking for a week, sans laptop, the onus is really on you. Will you check email or not? Be honest with yourself about your relationship to email. Just as some people can't drink only one drink, others can't look at only one email. If you're the type who will get sucked into an hour's or more worth of work time and stress, then leave your laptop at home and ignore Internet cafes. However, if you can open email and perform light triage with some well-timed messages, then go for it. Chances are you'll slide back into work feeling a tad more on top of things.

7. Check your attitude before you return.
That first day back can be like a dip in a cold pool. Make a real effort to be positive about returning to work. Choose one or two things to look forward to, be it a coworker you've missed or an interesting project.

8. Focus, focus, focus.
Give yourself a day, at least, to carefully go through the emails, phone messages, and paperwork that arrived in your absence. Don't think you'll zoom through it in an hour and then be back to where you were before vacation. If you get sloppy at this point, you'll regret it in a few days. Breathe deeply and settle in.

9. Look ahead.
Still feeling blue or overwhelmed about being back? Get out a calendar and check your favorite travel sites and start dreaming of your next adventure!

Eileen McMenamin: A VIP Seat to History: Photographer David Hume Kennerly

2009-07-06T12:40:31Z

If journalism is a front row seat to history, photographer David Hume Kennerly has been sitting in the VIP section. At seemingly every major political event that is photographed for history, one can catch a glimpse of Kennerly hard at work, either right in the heart of the action or just off to the side of the stage, shooting from the wings.

His subjects have included American Presidents and the candidates who aspire to be President, kings and queens, emperors, tyrants, First Families, Supreme Court Justices, soldiers, athletes, rock stars and ordinary U.S. citizens casting their votes at the ballot box.

At the age of 25, Kennerly won a Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography for his images showing the 'loneliness and isolation of war' in Vietnam. Since then he's photographed seven additional wars and eight U.S. Presidents, traveled to 140 countries, and served as then-President Gerald Ford's personal White House photographer.

Over the course of his 40-year career, Kennerly has shot for Time Magazine, George Magazine, Life and Newsweek, and has published several books of his work: Shooter; Photo Op; Seinoff: The Final Days of Seinfeld; Photo du Jour; and Extraordinary Circumstances: The Presidency of Gerald R. Ford.

His latest publication, Barack Obama: The Official Inaugural Book, was released in April, 2009. An exhibition of photographs from the book is on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., until mid-July, 2009.

Kennerly, who in addition to being a world-renowned photographer is also a delightful character, sat down for a wide-ranging interview on everything from the Inauguration of America's first black President to his decades spent shooting pictures in the corridors of power, and from First Pets to that 'prom night' moment with the First Couple in an elevator.

1. Your new book, Barack Obama: The Official Inaugural Book, features photos from amateur photographers. Why did you decide to include these shots alongside those from award-winning photographers like yourself?

There was a core team of photographers: Bob McNeely, who was Bill Clinton's photographer; me; Paul Morse, who was a photographer for George W. Bush; Karen Ballard, who has the most pictures in the book; Pete Souza, who is now Obama's White House photographer. And we thought it was important that everybody be a participant in the book so we used this service called Photobucket and people uploaded their photos. And they were all considered. There were some pros who did it and there were some regular folks.

2. What did that add to the book?

It broadened the vision of the book and it expressed what was such an overwhelmingly emotional reaction to the Obama Inauguration. The whole idea was to capture that in images.

3. Let's talk a little bit about the days leading up to the Inauguration. You covered the concert at the Lincoln Memorial with everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Pete Seeger and U2. What was that like?

I'm not a big concert go-er, but I've seen some good ones in my time and this was one of the best. I was backstage and getting pictures of people like Sheryl Crow where she pulled back her shirt and had the Obama t-shirt underneath it.

I'll tell you one funny thing, I was standing next to Denzel Washington and we were kind of in the wings out there where the Obamas were sitting in the front, and this really beautiful woman comes out. And I said to Denzel, "Wow who is that?" He said, "That's Beyonce!" like, "You idiot." I said, 'Well she is really something to look at." And he said, "And she can sing." I didn't know who that was! I knew who Pete Seeger was -- he was one performer up there who was way older than me, so I had to appreciate him. Bruce Springsteen, everybody, they just put on such a good show. The thing about it was it was very personal -- it wasn't just another show.

(Photo by Greg Mathieson/MAI)

4. I was in the crowd that day and the concert was amazing.

The book, if you were at the Inauguration or any of the events, it's the perfect souvenir for remembering what it was like. And if you weren't there, it will make you feel as if you had been. And that's why the book really works.

After the end of the show I went back out behind the Lincoln Memorial where they had the bus set up for the Obamas. It was the first time I'd really spent any time at all with Obama as a close-in observer, because I didn't cover the campaign. And what I saw was a remarkably relaxed guy, who doesn't take himself that seriously -- but he's a very serious person, certainly. But I really liked being around him. He was about as easy a guy to deal with as you could ever have in that position.

5. Where were you on Inauguration day?

Ever since Nixon departed the South Lawn of the White House, I have endeavored to be there when the change of power occurs. I watched Nixon take off from South Lawn on that very dramatic day, and then I was there when Ford walked out of the White House with Jimmy Carter on the way up to the Inauguration, and Ford had lost the election. I was there when Jimmy Carter walked out and left with Ronald Reagan after being beaten. I was there when George H.W. Bush walked out of there with Bill Clinton.

The thing I find fascinating is the transition in the Oval Office. So I just stayed at the White House, I didn't go to the Hill.

And you can see pictures in there -- which included moving day, you know bringing the Obama family items into the White House. That's a picture nobody's ever seen -- it was actually moving day like anybody's moving day except you're going into the White House.

6. It must be a little strange to observe these ordinary moments taking place in such an extraordinary setting?

Exactly. And the whole idea of that picture was to try to personalize it. So it was the perfect shot -- the moving guy's got one of the kids' red suitcase and then there's the White House in the background. So that's all you need for that picture. And then there's the close-up of the Hannah Montana poster. It really personalizes it and gives a sense of intimacy about it. Here's this family moving into the White House -- you know, a young family with two kids, I mean gimme a break. And they don't seem like your typical folks you'd expect to see coming to the White House.

And then there's the transition inside the Oval Office itself. The GSA guys or whoever, changing the buttons on the President's phone -- taking Rove off and putting Rahm Emanuel in. That was that picture! And the guy with the vacuum cleaner.

7. I know that one of your favorite pictures in the book is of George W. Bush and Barack Obama leaving the White House together after having coffee on the morning of the Inauguration. Right?

That is a significant photo for many reasons. There were a lot of people really happy to see Bush go. But for me it's not that. For me, this is the peaceful transformation of power. Obama's getting ready to walk around to the other side of the car -- which is the last time he'll ever do that.

The other part of that was that Bush never looked back. He got into the car, walked out the door, he didn't have a wistful gaze over his shoulder. He left and that was that, which was sort of his personality. He doesn't look back. That's the good news and the bad news probably. But introspection is not his strong suit.

The significance of that was obvious. And I nailed the picture because I was right in a place over the car, head on, and for some reason there weren't many people out there. And so I just got that snap -- and I knew what I was doing. You don't know what it's going to look like but it materialized in a way that I was happy with it.

I think the hugging picture [of Barack Obama and George W. Bush] on the Hill after Obama became President was a significant shot. Them walking out of the White House together and them having that hug -- that's what our country is all about... despite all the divisiveness. The fact is that's all part of the process, which is why we can flourish in our profession here, and it's why the process works. This didn't happen at the point of a gun and it wasn't chaos on the streets. It was just the two guys having that moment.

8. You traveled in the motorcade with the Obamas to the Inaugural ball that night and took a picture of the President and First Lady in a freight elevator. It is such an intimate moment between the two of them. This is one of my favorite pictures.

It's like prom night! It's like the noble high school kid is going to give his freezing date his jacket. It's almost timeless. That picture could have been taken in the 40s at the high school dance and that's how it felt to me at the time.

And I like the picture. The two other photographers in the elevator at the time, Pete Souza and Callie Shell, both had kind of different angles on it... But this one, there was nobody in the background. I just like that it was isolated. Mainly because it was about them -- it wasn't about the other people standing there.

And I didn't feel, because we were kind of off to the side, it wasn't like it was done for us. I would swear on a bible that was just how the Obamas are, and everything I know about them would corroborate that, from people who have been around them a lot more than I have.

9. How do you shoot a picture like that without disturbing the subjects or intruding on what's obviously a very private moment?

That's the perfect question. Because it underscores how I and people like Pete Souza and Callie Shell do our work -- we try to stay out of their face and away. And we're just used to working in those private situations. [People ask], 'How can this be a real intimate moment when there are all these people standing around?' And the fact of the matter is, people like the Obamas are used to having other people around all the time and that's how they're gonna have to live, pretty much. And so it is possible to have a tender moment even when other people are around -- and the trick is not to influence it in some way.

I mean, would that have happened if we hadn't been in there? Yes. So fortunately we were in there and we were able to take the picture. And as you can see from some of the other angles from Pete or Callie, there were Secret Service guys, there were aides, it was a huge freight elevator. There were probably 20 people in the elevator, but it was big so it wasn't like we were all on top of each other necessarily. It's just a real live moment. It wasn't a Hollywood moment -- and I know the difference between the two. For instance, when you saw Bill Clinton and Hillary being schmoozy in public -- I didn't believe it. And I think anybody who ever covered him didn't, because basically Hillary wanted to hit him over his head with her purse, particularly after the Lewinsky matter.

10. You've covered every president since Richard Nixon. Is there a separate private side to what we see in public?

Well, I hope. Remember how Nancy Reagan was made fun of for having that adoring stare at her husband? Well, both of them were actors. But more important, she loved the guy! And it wasn't an act even though she was ridiculed for it. I spent a lot of time with them and he was a nifty guy. I mean he was fun to be around, like Obama is and like Clinton is, too. Most of these people are fun to be around, the ones that I spent the most time with.

I have a picture of the Reagans on the Truman balcony that I shot from inside the room through the window. And they are kind of holding hands and looking at each other and talking. So that picture went up to Time -- I was shooting for Time, I can't remember what the story was -- but they didn't use it. The editor said it was too schmaltzy. And I said, 'They are schmaltzy!' There's nothing wrong with that. That's the way they are. I don't make this s**t up. I'm not directing them. For one thing, there was a glass window between me and them. And it's a nice shot. Listen, there could not have been a more affectionate relationship than Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan. Could not have been. And it was genuine. And I never heard or saw anything different from that. And Nancy could be a tough person and I think people resented her for that -- but so what?

11. How do you deal with shooting the First Family? Is there anything that is off-limits?

Well, I can really only speak to my Ford experience -- because I was almost part of the family there, really. There was never anything off-limits to me. You have to look back at the history of the White House photographer's job. Each one of our access -- the access that we had depended on the relationship with the President, or whatever the President had in his mind. In the case of Lyndon Johnson, Johnson thought everything he did was important and wanted everything photographed, essentially. And he was very vain and he approved photos and if he didn't like a picture it didn't go out. However, he was a really interesting photographic subject -- may have been the most in our recent history, in terms of just a dramatic human being.

And then there was Nixon, whose photographer Ollie Atkins had extremely limited access. And the Oval Office -- his going in and out was controlled so he basically took three or four shots at the top of the meeting and then was out of there. He never could hang out in the Oval Office. And he was my model for how I didn't want to do the job.

(White House photo, 1975)

And when Ford got the job, it became the exact opposite. Because I told him before I would take the job that the only way I could do it was to report directly to him -- I had no other boss and that I would have total access. Those were the two things that he agreed to, which was all I wanted -- it was the sum of my demands. And that's how it worked out. I also had my own relationship with Mrs. Ford, which allowed me to go upstairs/downstairs. And that is unique in its own right.

And people could see what I saw, which is the whole idea of being a photographer anyway.

12. Do you feel like you are documenting for history? Are you trying to let us see a little bit into their personal lives? How do you approach it?

Yes, all of the above. I think the historical part is the overriding reason for doing it and everything else sort of comes along.

(Oval Office, January 7, 2009)

Part of the ancillary benefit of having the kind of access I got just led to having a lot of backstage pictures with all these world leaders at the time. From Brezhnev, to Deng Xiao Ping to Tito, and remote figures that you never would have seen normally if you'd been covering them, the Emperor of Japan. And the pictures are very intimate with these people so it gives you some insight into their personalities, as well.

13. Is there one President who you would say was most comfortable in front of the camera?

Reagan was very comfortable, just because he had the camera in his face all of his career as an actor and as a politician.

And Reagan was more of a 9-5 guy and upstairs was pretty well off-limits. That was Nancy-land, Nancy-stan as somebody put it. But you know, that's the way she ran it. And listen, I mean you work for those people and the relationship you have with them is how it all works out. Every single individual is different and that's reflected in the pictures.

(Oval Office, January 7, 2009)

Bill Clinton was comfortable except I always had the feeling he was looking at me out of the corner of his eye wondering what I was up to. But I did have backstage time with him and he's a great subject, I really enjoyed being around him.

And again, there was that DMZ between the East Wing and the West Wing. With Hillary, you crossed over and it was like you needed a visa to go to the East Wing from the West Wing. She had her group and Bill Clinton had his and never the twain would meet. So you didn't have the all-access pass like I had -- I mean Bob McNeely [Clinton's White House photographer] would freely admit that.

14. So what do you make of this -- we've got a young family in the White House, two kids, they've got a dog...

You cannot ask for a better situation for a photographer. It's like dying and going to photographer's heaven with the Obamas! Gimme a break! Not since Jack Kennedy and the kids. Absolutely unbelievable.

15. As a photographer, do you ever feel like you're being co-opted?

Of course -- but not in a bad way! The fact is, they didn't rent their kids and they didn't rent the dog.

President Ford had Liberty, a golden retriever. And I will tell you this flat out -- a golden retriever is one of the most telegenic dogs around. You can't go wrong with a golden retriever, they are always so nice to look at. Unfortunately, the Obama dog is sort of this ball of fur which is kind of hard to photograph, and I've heard complaints about that from certain reporters. If the photographers had to pick a dog -- it wouldn't be a Portuguese Water Hound, or whatever you call it. They would go directly to the spaniels like the Kennedys had, or the retrievers like President Ford had, or an Irish setter like the Nixons had.

16. Does this personal relationship, like the one you had with the Ford family, affect the way that you shoot them?

I think because I am so professional about what I do -- the personal relationship gets me into the room, the professional never leaves my head. So I'm photographing, even at difficult times, not to make people look good or bad but just to really try to get to the heart and soul, with my camera, of what's going on.

The point is neither I nor Michael Evans [Reagan's White House photographer] or Pete Souza [Obama's White House photographer] checked our professionalism and integrity at Oval Office door when we went in to become the White House photographer. Part of the reason we were hired was for our background and ability to work up close and personal with people, without knocking over the lamps, and giving an honest portrayal. And when I left the White House, President Ford wrote me probably what is the nicest letter anybody could ever get from a boss, talking about the fact that I showed them as they were. And that's all that he would've cared about.

(Photo by Karen Ballard)
All photos, unless otherwise noted, by David Hume Kennerly.

Michelle Obama's Inaugural Dress Now On Display In NYC

2009-06-17T11:47:20Z

The ensemble worn by Michelle Obama on Inauguration Day goes on display on Wednesday, allowing the public a first close-up look at the design that helped earn the first lady praise for her fashion sense.

Amitai Etzioni: Obama to Muslims: Unclench Your Fist

2009-05-26T12:48:09Z

"To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist." President Obama could hardly improve on this line, from his inaugural address, during his forthcoming much-heralded major speech to the Muslim world. Better yet, he has already further reinforced this position when he announced that the United States' goal in Afghanistan was "to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda," a far cry from regime change.

Obama thus recognizes that although most Muslims reject violence -- that is, terrorism, threatening other nations with WMD, and invading another's turf -- many Muslims do not favor our kind of political system or the full plethora of human rights as we list them. Moreover, to hold that we can find in Muslims who reject violence reliable partners in peace does not imply that we shall cease to promote good government -- only that we shall do so from here on with non-lethal means. We will not bomb nations to make them democratic.

Obama can here build on the finding that there is no clash of civilizations but a clash within each civilization; namely, between the moderate people who reject violence and those who legitimate it. In Christianity, it is the division between those who see Christ as a prince of peace and those who see him as the sword. In Judaism, between rabbis who interpret "an eye for and eye" as a call for compensation and the Jews who interpret the text as a call for revenge. It is a division equally found in secular belief systems; for instance, within Socialism between Fabians and Stalinists.

The same holds for Islam: There are Muslims who see Jihad as a spiritual journey of self development, or as solely defensive ("Fight those in the way of God who fight you but do not be aggressive: God does not like aggressors" [Koran 2:190]), and those who view it as a war on all infidels. There are those who those who recognize that "There is no compulsion in matters of faith" (Koran 2:256) and that when Muhammad exclaimed, "Oh Lord, these are certainly a people who do not believe," Allah responded to him, "Turn away from them and say: 'Peace'" (Koran 43:88-89) - and those who seek to "Slay the idolaters wheresoever you find them, and take them captive or besiege them" (Koran 9:5). One can find readily find passages in the Koran, in other Muslim texts, and in interpretations of texts and sermons that lean in both directions. However, data show that most Muslims embrace the nonviolent interpretations.

Among the then 140 million Muslims in Indonesia, 69.5 million in Turkey, and 32.3 million in Morocco, fifteen per cent or fewer support suicide bombers, according to a 2005 Pew survey. Support for suicide bombers has dropped sharply in Pakistan, from 41% in March 2004 to 5% in spring 2009. It has also dropped dramatically in Jordan, from 57% in May 2005 to 25% in Spring 2009. When asked about attacks on civilians in the United States, the large majority of respondents in Egypt (84%), Indonesia (73%), Pakistan (55%), Jordan (68%), Turkey (74%) and the Palestinian territories (59%) stated that they disapprove, a 2008 poll found.

Seventy percent or more of respondents to a 2008 Pew poll in Indonesia, Pakistan, Tanzania and Lebanon are concerned with the rise of Islamic extremism in the world, and majorities in Egypt, Nigeria, and Jordan feel the same way. Additionally, the majority of Egyptians (57%) see terrorism as a "very big problem" in their country, and the vast majority of people in Indonesia (72%) and Pakistan (90%) feel the same. Large majorities in these three countries also believe that violent attacks that are carried out to achieve political or religious goals are not justified. Other reports have indicated little support for terrorism among Muslims in India, Malaysia, and Bangladesh.

Furthermore, while forcing regime change should not be American's mission, Obama can hardly continue to support authoritarian regimes (such as in Saudi Arabia). He can support peaceful, internal changes -- led by the people of the nations whose regimes are at issue. In doing so, the Obama administration best keep in mind that if political reforms start with free elections, these may well be won by anti-democratic groups. Moreover, the winners are likely to be supporters of terrorism and even proliferation of WMD. Hence, free elections are best preceded by other steps such as rewriting the constitution, freeing the press, and allowing moderate opposition parties to develop.

Finally, we suggest that the United States make a gift of ten million dollars to the Library of Alexandria for it to select, working with other institutions of its choosing, major texts by moderate Muslims. These are to be translated into English and other languages the Library will favor, to make these texts more accessible to people all over the world who are not sufficiently familiar with the moderate face of Islam.

Stay tuned. The president is due to deliver his message to Muslim world on June 4th.

____________________

**I will respond to the comments of those persons who are willing to identify themselves, because I hold this as essential for a civilized dialogue.

Amitai Etzioni is a professor of international relations at The George Washington University. For more discussion, see Security First (Yale 2007). For more, go here: http://www.gwu.edu/~ccps/securityfirst.html. He can be reached at icps@gwu.edu

This is a very brief summary of a much more elaborate discussion published in the September 2006 edition of Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 19(3) and Part I of Security First: For a Muscular, Moral Foreign Policy (Yale University Press, 2007). For commentary by others see the June 2008 edition of Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 21(2) and the May 2008 edition of American Behavioral Scientist, 51(9).

Envision EMI, Inauguration, Sue: Students Demand MONEY BACK

2009-05-14T15:14:41Z

WASHINGTON — A lawsuit was filed in federal court Wednesday on behalf of more than 15,000 students who paid thousands to attend President Barack Obama's inauguration but reportedly were left out in the cold.

The lawsuit filed in Washington says Vienna, Va.-based Envision EMI promised middle, high school and college students across the country special access to the inauguration, parade and a black tie inaugural ball on Jan. 20.

Envision EMI Sued By Students Shut Out Of Inauguration

2009-05-13T14:04:53Z

Adriana Dunn: Obama's First 100 Days: My 10 Favorite Moments

2009-04-30T12:44:00Z

White House Adviser David Axelrod called today the "journalistic equivalent of a Hallmark holiday," which may be true, but it's still a good way to take the pulse of the new administration. It's been a momentous time for America and our new president, who has restored the faith of many in our nation and our government. Here are my personal picks for the top 10 moments from the first 100 days in office:

10. Gifting an iPod to the Queen of England. The Obamas are officially the hippest couple to ever occupy the White House. Never mind that the First Lady put her arm around the queen (gasp!).

9. Setting a date for troop withdrawal from Iraq: Aug. 31, 2010. Enough said.

8. Appointing people who know what they're doing to the administration. See: Nobel Prize winner and Energy Secretary Steven Chu; Commerce Secretary Gary Locke (a third attempt to fill the seat, but nonetheless a great choice); Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; et al.

7. Encouraging Americans to participate in their government, including opening up both the White House and the office of the Secretary of State for questions. For the first time in a long while, the administration is actually is paying attention to what the nation has to say.

6. Visiting foreign nations. (Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia, France, Germany, Turkey, etc.) It's so great to see the mostly positive response when Obama travels abroad. Oh, Canada, too. How could I forget Canada?

5. Pledging 3 percent of the GDP for science R&D.

4. Bo the dog. This cute little Portuguese Water Dog garnered more press coverage than nearly everything else on this list.

3. Economic Stimulation, to the tune of $787 billion, with $55 billion designated for the Green Sector.

2. Signing an executive order mandating that the CIA close Gitmo within the next year.

1. January 20, 2009. Quite possibly the best day of my 25 years alive. Here's an excerpt from an email my father sent me on Inauguration Day that I think sums up the cross-generational significance of this inauguration:

For those of us that are slightly older and lived through the sixties it also has a extremely profound meaning that is becoming clearer. Being of the age you are now, we watched many of our youthful heroes like JFK and Bobby, and especially Dr. King, be taken from us at their peak. They were the ones who we thought could make the changes we knew were so necessary and overdue. It was obviously so wrong for all those years that people were discriminated against for their color and always so unacceptable. But the absolute finality of the success of the civil rights movement never really came until Tuesday night.

Honorable mentions:

Advocating for High Speed Rail system.

The emergence of sports as an integral part of the daily regime. Tossing footballs around the oval office, picking the UNC Tar Heels as the winner of the NCAA tourney, and perfecting his short game on the White House putting green, among others.

What are your favorite moments from the first 100 days? Let us know in the comments section.

Originally posted at TakePart.

Beyonce: Inauguration "The Best Moment Of My Career" (VIDEO)

2009-04-22T23:30:09Z

The always-lovely Beyonce sat down with David Letterman Wednesday night and talked to him about the inauguration, twitter and her bruises.

Letterman asked about singing "At Last" for the Obama's first dance at the Neighborhood Ball, and Beyonce told him, "It was, I think, the best moment of my career. I was so nervous, and so honored to be there... I've never watched one of my performances so many times."

She also talked about husband Jay-Z changing lyrics to "99 Problems and a Bitch Ain't One" to "99 Problems and a Bush Ain't One" for a performance in front of Obama campaign volunteers.

Later she talks about not twittering ("I pick up the phone") and how her tour harness gives her bruises.

WATCH:

Sarah Obama, Obama's Step-Grandmother, Christian Conversion Target Claim Kenyan Relatives

2009-04-20T08:32:20Z

According to the wire service AFP, Obama's Kenyan step-grandmother is getting some unwanted attention from a Christian church that is trying to convert the Muslim 87-year old:

The Seventh Day Adventist church in the western town of Kisumu had invited 87-year-old Sarah Obama -- a Muslim -- to a function on Saturday, where she was allegedly to be baptised...

"I regret the attempt by the Christian religion to force her to convert," Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa, the organising secretary of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, told AFP.

"Why only her? Why not before Obama became president? Didn't they see her before he became president? We are ready to protect our religion," he said.

Sarah Obama has been making international headlines since Barack Obama visited his step-grandmother in Kenya while he was a US Senator. Sarah Obama attended her step-grandson's inauguration in Washington, DC this January. In the interview below, Sarah talks about the aspirations she has for Obama days after he was elected President.

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Kid Reporter Damon Weaver Scores College Scholarship

2009-04-17T16:35:10Z

Wow! Congratulations are in order to Damon Weaver today. According to NBC News in Miami, the kid reporter - whose resume includes a famously viral Joe Biden interview, official credentials to cover the Presidential inauguration, and a segment from 20/20, in addition to tons of yeoman's work done for his school's news bureau - has landed himself a college scholarship. Not bad for a kid looking forward to the sixth grade!

According to the report:

Little Damon Weaver from Pahokee has gained national attention for his reporting exploits and now this junior journalist is getting a free ride to Albany State University.

The school will officially present Weaver with the scholarship at a June alumni convention in Miami. The fifth-grader said he plans on accepting the school's offer.

Weaver says the scholarship "is a big relief to me and my family." I can just imagine!

And yet, Weaver remains steadfast in his pursuit of an interview with President Barack Obama. To which I say, Mr. President - seriously - you need to get yourself on the ground floor with this kid, for real.

[h/t: Megan Carpentier, at Jezebel]

PREVIOUSLY, on the HUFFINGTON POST:
Help Damon Weaver Get An Obama Inauguration Interview
10-Year-Old Reporter Damon Weaver Gets His Credentials
Kid Reporter Damon Weaver To Make 20/20 Appearance, Still Looking For That Obama Interview
Biden Tells Fifth Grade Reporter What VP Actually Does (VIDEO)

Kid Reporter Damon Weaver To Make 20/20 Appearance, Still Looking For That Obama Interview

2009-04-08T14:41:05Z

If there's one thing in this world that we love unabashedly, it's awesome kid reporter Damon Weaver from Pahokee, Florida, who gained national attention after interviewing Joe Biden, and heroically keeping his microphone aloft for several of the Vice President's long-winded answers. From there, Weaver went on a quest to gain an interview with President Barack Obama. Sadly, that goal remains unfulfilled, even though he'd probably do at least as well Ed Henry would. Despite the setback, Weaver remains a fan favorite at the Huffington Post and elsewhere, and I receive regular emails from readers inquiring after Weaver. The latest such email, in fact, came from a Fanny Siouville in France, where they have recently celebrated La Semaine de la Presse, where teachers take time out to discuss journalism with their students.

Happily, I can report that Weaver is doing a lot more than inspiring overseas inquiries. After inauguration weekend, Weaver was back on his grind, and this Friday, he'll play a high profile role on Friday night's edition of 20/20. His teacher, Brian Zimmerman, explains:

"For the past two months student reporter Damon Weaver has been working with Diane Sawyer's producer as the lead reporter on a news report about the violence that occurs in Damon's hometown.

The report will air this Friday, April 10th on ABC's 20/20 Special: If I Only Had a Gun. The special will be anchored by Diane Sawyer.

Damon first met Diane Sawyer on the night of President Obama's Inauguration when he appeared with her on the ABC News desk . When Diane asked Damon what he would like to ask President Obama he told her that he has seen shootings and fights in his town and he wants to know what the President will do to help reduce violence."

Zimmerman passes along that Weaver hasn't given up on securing an interview with President Obama, either:

We have been told that they are aware of Damon's request to interview the President. They told us they have been watching Damon Weaver on TV and that they are impressed with what he has been doing. They also told us that the right now is not a good time for Damon to interview President Obama since the focus of his administration is on the economy. I think the interview will happen when the time is right. We will keep trying.

So this, too, is in Tim Geithner's hands? UGH, GREAT.

At any rate, between Inauguration and 20/20, Weaver's been straight killin' it, putting his boundless work ethic and his appealing personality to work. Highlights include:

--A series of reports about Disney's Dreamers Academy, which has given Weaver the chance to interview a slew of public figures and celebrities, such as Steve Harvey, Sherri Shepherd, Audra McDonald, Paula Abdul, and Warrick Dunn. (Which you can view for yourself on the Canal Point KEC TV YouTube Channel.)

--Citing President Obama's call to service, Weaver's been giving back to his community. He's co-hosted a benefit for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Palm Beach County and volunteered to be a "roving reporter at Kids In Distress' Monarch Gala" back in March. Kids In Distress is a "nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse, the preservation of the family and the care and treatment of abused and neglected children."

You can read more about Weaver's upcoming 20/20 report here.

PREVIOUSLY, on the HUFFINGTON POST:
Biden Tells Fifth Grade Reporter What VP Actually Does (VIDEO)
Help Damon Weaver Get An Obama Inauguration Interview
Damon Weaver, Student Journalist, Continues Push To Interview Obama (VIDEO)
10-Year-Old Reporter Damon Weaver Gets His Credentials
Damon Weaver Stuck In Inauguration Ticket Snafu

[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not? Also, please send tips to tv@huffingtonpost.com -- learn more about our media monitoring project here.]

Scritti Politti: April 3, 2009

2009-04-03T18:03:31Z

It's Friday, and I'm feeling generous and mercurial, so here's a fun and shameless plug! Los Angelenos in the house? This Saturday, enjoy the dynamic visual art of Kelly Towles, a Washington D.C. street art "wunderkind." Towles was instrumental in helping to bring the Shepard Fairey/Manifest Hope show to Washington, D.C. during Inauguration weekend. Now, he's taking his own dynamic visuals on the road in a show called Sneak Thief: The Art of Kelly Towles. This Saturday, from 7-11pm at Pool Warehouse at 2900 Rowena Avenue. Facebook it here.

And in D.C. next week don't miss the Ten Miles Square new photography exhibit, I'm With The Band, featuring the photos of Nestor Diaz, Kyle Gustafson, and Martin Locraft. It's April 9, from 6-9pm at Dahlak, 1771 U Street, NW. Facebook that here!

Culture, to enjoy, why not?

The Sporting Life Of Our Modern Day Torture Enthusiasts: Vanity Fair went looking for a topic, any topic, to discuss with a John Yoo who was "desperate to discuss anything but being a war criminal." So, they talked about Yoo's affection for squash! Hey, John Yoo! These squash courts at the La Manga club in scenic Spain sound like a beautful place to play! Why not take a trip to Spain and get your squash on? Better yet, why don't you get roofied, bound, blindfolded, and shipped to these squash courts, unexpectedly?

Keeping Them Honest: I love the thinking behind Wrong Tomorrow, which pits the predictions of pundits against the slow and pitiless march of time. Upload your own, and keep track of who gets it wrong.

Oh, Dear: The Drudge Report suffers this week's most major contextual web advertising fail.

How To Dismantle The Unitary Executive, A Regrettably Ongoing Series: President Obama may be full of regrets over the way the White House demands a temporary loss of "privacy and anonymity," but I still don't see any fracking reason why he's got to take it out on the rest of us.

In Our Prayers...: Send some kind thoughts this weekend to CBS White House correspondent Chip Reid, whose father passed away this week. FishbowlDC has news of the memorial arrangements.

[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not? Also, please send tips to tv@huffingtonpost.com -- learn more about our media monitoring project here.]

Lesley M. M. Blume: What A Difference A Day Makes: An Interview With The Suddenly Superfamous Designer Jason Wu

2009-04-01T12:19:06Z

Last year at this time, you'd likely never heard the name Jason Wu.

Sure, he's been designing clothes since the age of nine, and after his 2006 debut collection he became the darling of the Vogue and Bergdorf circuit. Yet Wu was hardly a household name.

Then, on January 20, 2009, everything changed - and what a difference a day makes. First Lady Michelle Obama surprised the world - and Wu himself - by donning his now-famous one-shouldered, white goddess dress to the inauguration balls.

The dress has since been promised to the Smithsonian as an artifact of American history, and Wu has been catapulted into the international spotlight.

It's been 72 days since that fateful moment, yet when I spoke with him this week, Wu still sounded a little bit giddy. How could he not? His business is booming, and the first lady continues to don his designs in the world's capitals.

Just yesterday in London, Ms. Obama showed off a Jason Wu chartreuse silk crepe sheath dress on the first stop of the Obamas' first official European trip. Today she wore a Jason Wu coat to meet the Queen.

Yet there is no resting on laurels for Wu; in fact, he barely celebrated his Inauguration Day coup. He is, first and foremost, a workhorse.

Below, Jason Wu talks about America's new first lady, his favorite Old Hollywood stars, and the item of clothing that no woman should go without.

* * *

Lesley M. M. Blume: Let's start by talking about Michelle Obama's inauguration gown. What was your inspiration, and what is the symbolism there - the white, the one shoulder? Were there other designs that were discarded, and why?

Jason Wu: I was asked to submit several gowns for her, and of course I was more than happy to oblige. I came up with a few, but the white gown was the first dress I envisioned her in. I didn't know she was going to wear it for the inauguration. I just thought she'd look really great in it. My goal as a designer is to make a woman look incredible.

I call white the most powerful non-color; it's clean, optimistic, powerful. Regarding the one shoulder, I thought, what's a great balance between strapless and fully-sleeved? The truth of the matter is that we haven't had a First Lady not wearing sleeves for inauguration. The Obama presidency ushers in a new generation, and it's fitting to introduce a new silhouette.

LMMB: Vogue editor Anna Wintour said in an editor's letter last year that women no longer need navy power suits to be taken seriously, that feminine clothing won't detract from a professional woman's credibility. Tell me your thoughts on this.

JW: I think that's absolutely correct. Being feminine in the way you dress doesn't have to compromise who you are as a woman or your career. I think we're past that now.

I don't believe that you have to dress in a masculine way to seem powerful. I think that the way a woman dresses doesn't have to be so aggressive. Being feminine is a powerful feature in itself. Power is in a person's demeanor.

LMMB: But would you have designed a different sort of dress for a female president than you did for a new first lady?

JW: I would have designed a dress that would have been right for whoever the person was. Michelle Obama's dress was the fitting dress for her. That's what it's about: always designing for a specific client, and her demeanor and frame. You highlight her best features.

LMMB: You've been described as the industry's next Oscar de la Renta or Carolina Herrera, and you're still just a baby. Tell me about how these expectations affect you and your work.

JW: I could only hope that I would have the longevity of those designers' careers. Every season I really try to step it up. I always want to become a better designer. I've never been the person to sit back and say, this as a good as it's going to get.

LMMB: How have you handled the pressure of the limelight?

JW: I took one week to do media after the Inauguration, and gave myself one day to celebrate. It was such an intense time; I'd forget to eat. I'd do TV in the morning and then go straight back to my studio. There was so much so much global interest in this Inauguration; I got countless requests from the world-wide media, including a lot of Asian press - especially China, since I'm from Taiwan.

LMMB: You only gave yourself one day to celebrate?

JW: Well, Inauguration - a day I'll never forget - was on January 20, and my show was on February 13, just a few weeks later. When I'm in show mode, I'm a whole different person. I don't rest; I eat, sleep, and drink the show, I'm so concentrated on the work.

LMMB: How did you spend your celebratory 24 hours?

JW: I had dinner with my close friends, very simple.

LMMB: How about rest of the day?

JW (sheepishly): I was at the studio.

LMMB: What is fashion's role in dark economic times?

JW: I don't speak for everybody, but as a designer, I want to create desirable clothes, no matter what economic climate we're in. People are supposedly going back to buying basic items or plain things, but in my opinion, people should be buying special things right now. Buy things you truly love, things that are special, but not a lot of them. It's about value, not quantity.

We need a positive mood right now. Everyone's so down. But in all troubled times, there's always a few bright spots. In this case, one of them is Michelle Obama and how she's put the spotlight on young American designers.

LMMB: How will your next collection be affected by the recession?

JW: I think it comes down to me looking at the brand and see what it represents and be very focused. Now is not the time to do a series of off-shoot lines. When we grow, it'll be a managed growth.

LMMB: So we're not going to see a Jason Wu perfume in the near future?

JW (pauses): Well, there're a few things in the pipeline, plans to take the brand to the next level in new categories, supplemental to clothes. But I can't talk about it right now.

LMMB: Can't you give me any hints?

JW: No.

LMMB (sulking): These days, trends come and go faster than ever. What is one item that should always be in style?

JW: A perfectly fitted sheath dress that can take you from day to night is something that every woman should have in her closet. You can't go wrong with black, but a little bit of color is nice. I love a lot of color, personally. You can accessorize a sheath dress. Look at how Michelle Obama accessorizes clothes to make them her own.

LMMB: When it comes to succeeding in the fashion industry, so much depends on having a unique look - or, to borrow a term that's very 2007 - a recognizable brand. How would you describe what defines and distinguishes the Jason Wu aesthetic?

JW: Feminine, colorful, and bold with quirky touches. Classic but modern at the same time. Any item in the collection will be relevant in the seasons and years to come. I don't believe in dressing for the season. I believe in building a wardrobe for years to come.

LMMB: Which of your designer predecessors have influenced your work the most?

JW: Charles James and Norman Norell, two great American designers. Norell was one of the quintessential 1950s designers, and James was known for impeccable construction. Workmanship was undeniably one of his well-known assets. You can turn his clothes inside out and they're works of art. I also want my garments to be turned inside out and still be beautiful.

LMMB: Who is your favorite Old Hollywood star? Favorite classic film?

JW: I've always loved Jean Seberg, who was a blonde version of Audrey Hepburn with French twist. She didn't have a super-long career and is under-appreciated, though. Classic Hollywood was about full make-up, full hair, but Seberg was so cool and a little more relaxed. Like in Breathless, when she comes in a t-shirt; it's so refreshing.

In terms of films, I've always loved Breakfast at Tiffany's.

LMMB: In your mind, is there one woman - contemporary or historical - who embodies glamour?

JW: Sophia Loren. I think she's in her 70s, and she's still beautiful. There's an aura about her that's so appealing. It goes to show no matter how old you are, femininity and beauty come from within.

LMMB: I'd love to see your horoscope for January 20. What did it say? Your stars must have been going crazy.

JW: You know, I didn't read it. Now I need to go back and look that up.

This is an edited transcript of a conversation between Jason Wu and Lesley M. M. Blume.

Purple Inauguration Ticket Holder May Get $10,000 Refund

2009-03-25T17:14:32Z

Those spurned purple, blue and silver ticket holders aren't very pleased with this week's not-so-detailed report on Inauguration Day chaos, which pins blame more on the oversize crowd than on police.

But at least one of the ticket holders, a hefty contributor to President Obama's inaugural committee who was left out in the cold on Jan. 20, feels she's on the verge of winning compensation -- but not from the inaugural committee, which has closed up shop and refuses to respond to complaints.

No More Purple Tunnels? Inauguration Chaos Report Out

2009-03-24T08:25:42Z

Too many people without tickets and too few signs pointing in the right direction were part of the picture at President Obama's Jan. 20 inauguration -- but a new report may help operations the next time around.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein , chairwoman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, ordered the report in January after thousands of people who had tickets to the inaugural were turned away and still more were corralled into the Third Street tunnel near the Capitol and were stuck there -- in freezing conditions -- for several hours.